Twilight fanfic: Welcome to a hell known as PSL
by Midnitergrl
Summary: A purely original Twilight Fanfic. Occurs years after Bella has joined the Cullens. Will contain some mature themes. Bella wants to find Renee, and her search has led her to Florida where the Cullens find a rather unusual human girl.
1. Disclaimer

_**Disclaimer:** I do not, nor do I wish to, own the Twilight series. I could never do it justice. However, I do own this Twilight Fanfiction. I own any character that has not been in Mrs. Meyers' books. Including, but not limited to, The Host (Arriving in May '08), Twilight, New Moon, Eclipse or Breaking Dawn (Arriving August 2nd, 2008. Fangirl moment--ZOMGOMGOMGAUGUST!!). As a warning to younger audiences, I have a vivid imagination. Violence will play out on these pages, as well as possibly some romance. I'm not sure about the latter, but definately the former. THERE WILL BE BLOOD. ) Have fun reading! 3_

_**Plot:** Twilight was never a story. It was never fiction. It was never a 'dream'. It was the pure, unedited diary of a girl named Isabella Swan. She had it published under a pen name and promptly imagined that she had never written it. Imagined that she had never given the world their secrets. The Cullens have added her to their family. Now they travel across the United States as a sort of keepers of the peice. They have added others to their cause, but none has ever stayed with them for long. It has been only twelve years since Bella became a vampire herself, but she misses her family with a passion rivalled only by her undying love for Edward. So, they've traveled to Florida to seek out her mom. After all, she did grow up with the woman. But what happens when they find that Renee has moved to still, quiet, Port Saint Lucie? No one could ever be sure...But it will never be the same._


	2. Chapter one: Rain

**Chapter One.**

**Rain.**

The soft pattering of rain against my window drew me towards the glass pane. I watched it roll in sheets down the frame and cling to the screen. It was February, and it was raining...again. Seventy degrees and Valentine's day hadn't even arrived. I sighed and drew away. Even though it was raining, it was sunny. If I stood much longer in the sunshine I would bake. Florida weather had never been kind to me. Fiona Apple moaned from my stereo, her heavy sutry voice making me feel just a tad bit better. Sure, I may have been a single, seventeen year old college student but it didn't mean that I couldn't feel bitter about a break-up that had never happened.

"Sarah! Sarah, Leah's here to pick you up. Hurry or you'll be late again."

My mom's voice broke through the static of my foggy brain. I quickly ran from closet to desk to door, gathering up everything and anything I would need along the way. My backpack smacked mercilessly against my shoulders as I ran through the rain to the waiting Jeep in my driveway. Leah leaned over to unlock the door and I hopped inside, drawing my hoodie up over my head. Light wasn't filtered by her untinted windows and I had forgotten to put on sunscreen again.

"Geez, can't you ever be waiting for me instead of the other way around? Wake up earlier for once!"

She scolded me with a smile, reaching her tanned hand towards the stereo. My own pale apendage shot forward to stop her. Regina Spektor was MINE. No one changed it from her.

"I'm sorry, I'm sorry. The rain kept me up. At least there are more clouds now."

She agreed silently as she watched the slippery road. It was true, after all. Dark, formidable clouds were rolling in to give me some sense of relief. I smiled, more happy now, and put my feet up on the dashboard. I drummed on my knees while fingering my worn copy of Eclipse. Why couldn't my parents just move to Forks like I asked them to? Why did they insist on living in the Sunny State after I blistered so easily? My blue eyes squinted eternally against the harsh rays of sunlight, my chestnut brown hair did nothing to protect my neck or scalp from the searing heat. It was as if the entire Southern Hemisphere had been placed on earth to torment me.

Leah pulled into the parking lot sooner than expected. The college campus loomed ahead and I quickly exited the Jeep, clutching my novel to my chest. I couldn't go to class today; not when it was so beautiful out! There was hardly a ray of sunlight left.

"I'll catch up later. I'm going to the gazebo."

She rolled her eyes and took in my soaking wet hoodie, thread worn jeans and old sneakers. My hair was rapidly becoming brown plaster against my china-white skin. I grinned at her and she finally laughed and nodded, walking away towards the E building. 'You should be in Twilight.' She would say, giggling as I desperately sought any shade possible. 'You'd make a better vamp than any of them.' I would simply laugh along, praying that she wouldn't tease me further. I loved my fairness, but it was a curse I couldn't bear.

I made my way to the gazebo through the downpour, ferverently praying that my book wouldn't be ruined by the time I reached my favorite hideaway. It over looked the lake, and had benches lining it No one fancied walking the quarter mile out to it, so I normally had it to myself. Today was no exception. I dropped my bag on the wooden deck, listening to the sound of the rain pounding against the alluminum roofing. I curled up in a corner on a bench and opened my book. I lost all sense of my surroundings by the fourth chapter. I'm sure if I hadn't, I wouldn't have stuck around long enough to catch sight of them.

Just as I was turning the page, I lifted my head to see if the sun had revealed itself, or if it was still safe for me to be out of doors. That was when I realized that I wasn't alone. My heart thudded in my throat. My pulse slowed to a crawl. I found it hard to swallow, let alone draw enough breath to keep myself alive.

There were six of them. Six beautiful, wet angels standing under the protection of the gazebo. Already I could see them paired off. Holding hands, arms around waists, simply moving so that they appeared to have been made for each other; every ounce of them made my poor, tired, probably hallucinating eyes water.

The muscle bound one turned to glance at me with a frown, causing his frighteningly beautiful blonde arm rest to send a chilling glare my way. The smaller, nymph like girl stared openly, a broad smile on her face. Her companion sent me a look that sent calm rippling down my spine. I shivered.

Finally, the two that I was certain were not truly there turned to see who on earth could be making their group change its focus from the dreary, wet day. His warm, honey-gold eyes looked me over carefully, a curious look behind his dark lashes. My mind reeled and I begged my mind to continue with the fantasy. His alabaster hand closed more protectively over the girl's; her own topaz eyes lingering on me as if she were attempting to solve some unthinkable jigsaw. Her hands moved to brush a peice of hair from her face. None of us moved or spoke. I was certain none of us were breathing. I knew them. Above all others, I knew them. Their movements, their eyes, their appearances, everything. I felt my hand pushing my book into my bag and my legs unfolding.

I stared at them, and they stared at me.

What were the Cullens doing in Florida?


	3. Chapter two: Sunscreen

**Chapter Two**

**Sunblock.**

The rain was the only sound for what seemed like eons. My breathing was labored and I found that even with Jasper calming me down I was shaking with fear and excitement. He seemed annoyed and finally turned his head. What if he hadn't been calming me? I probably would have passed out right then and there. Alice's face was lit up by her iridescent smile and I wanted to walk towards them and touch her. What if I was bold enough to actually do it? She looked like a statue of a fairy. She skipped towards me, much to the apparent disgust of Rosalie. The unearthly beautiful vampire tossed her blond locks over her shoulder and pressed closer to Emmett's chilling side. Edward and Bella watched warily, farther away than the others. Suddenly, I caught movement. If Chelly had seen this she would have wept...No ballerina could match that. Alice stopped directly in front of me and placed one hand on my warm cheek. I felt my eyes flutter closed, thoroughly pleased with the contact. It felt like a slab of cold marble was shaping itself to my face. I sighed and heard her giggle.

"You know, Bella, she has fairer skin than you did. Isn't that something?"

My eyes shot open. Contact? With Alice Hale, Cullen, whoever she was pretending to be? No! It couldn't be possible! I found myself jerking away from her and falling backwards. With a yelp I broke through the old, rotting wood that was supposed to keep these sorts of things from happening. I clenched my eyes shut before I felt I should touch the water behind me, and then cautiously opened one when it never came. Bella was righting me, her jaw tense. As soon as I was firmly sitting again she released me. Her icy hands left contact with mine as quickly as possible. Seconds later she was at Edward's side again, pressing her face firmly into the front of his shirt. How long had she been changed? The thought worried me.

"H-hello..."

My voice was hoarse and dry, sounding more like it belonged in a pencil sharpener than in my mouth. I coughed and tried again. There was no point in sounding like an idiot in front of them.

"Hi. I'm Sarah."

I inhaled deeply, trying to not be too intoxicated by the scent of so many of them grouped together in the heavy air. Alice watched me curiously, and Edward was murmuring something too low for me to hear. Bella was nodding and shaking her head. Rosalie and Emmett had disappeared into the rain. Jasper was waiting for Alice to either finish with me or do something else. I gave him a shy smile and went to stand. Alice was holding out my book bag and a bottle. I glanced down and recognized the label. Why was she carrying sunscreen? I cautiously took both items, and then was shocked into stillness. She had seen me. She had seen me hiding from the sun.

"Well, Sarah. The sun will be coming back out in a few minutes. If you want to get to the cafe without getting burned we should leave now."

I was certain that a statue couldn't have been more still than I was at that point. Shock had my feet firmly rooted to the ground. She moved away from me and my heart pounded in my chest. No! She couldn't leave me! As if I were a magnet, I followed. My feet moved of their own free will while my hands, unsure of what to do with themselves, fiddled nervously with my bag. The five of us walked through the downpour, ignorant of the water saturating our clothes and bags. Alice skipped along beside Jasper, pointing out a butterfly about to move or a drop of water about to land on his shoulder. Edward and Bella walked ahead of me, their fingers tied together as if in knots. Her head rested against his arm while his full lips whispered into her open ear.

We all walked along quietly through the gloom. Somewhere along the way Emmett and Rosalie came in our midst, and the muscle bound man matched his pace with mine. I looked up at him in delight, ignoring Rosalie on his right. Every time I read the books and came to a part with him I couldn't help laughing. Now he was was here! Emmett was walking beside me! Me! He suddenly grinned and then quickened his pace, drawing Rosalie towards the front of our procession. I swallowed hard and looked down. I was walking with vampires, and all I was worried about was getting inside before the sun came out.

The cafe was on the other side of the campus, and we all made it inside just as the first rays of sunlight were beginning to peek through the breaking clouds. Other students that had been eating or chatting paused to look and stare at the new arrivals before quickly going back to whatever it was they had been doing. I simply followed Alice like an obedient little dog as she led us all to a large, square table in the corner. I sat down, my heart hammering in my chest, while the others took their seats around me. Papers and books soon littered the table, including a copy of Twilight and my copy of Eclipse. Both had been soaked by our trek through the rain, and were now drying on the table top. Bella sent me a sheepish glance as she turned the page of Twilight to dry it out better. Then she abruptly turned away and

Edward and Jasper were attempting to figure out which of their essays they should recycle, while Rosalie and Emmett were whispering together. Bella was fidgeting with a charm bracelet. I stared at the wooden wolf and crystal heart. I had that exact bracelet in my bag...Would she feel offended? I was suddenly self conscious of my pile of manga-style fanart locked away in my desk at home. I made a mental note to burn them.

I pulled my eyes away, and found that I was suddenly staring into Alice's. Now that I was closer, I could see that they were a darker topaz color. Apparently she hadn't eaten in some time. She seemed more excited than nervous or upset. and I hoped it would rub off on the rest of them. Sitting with them put me on edge, but I wouldn't have budged even if Sweeney Todd had decided he would like my rubies on his "friends".

"Thanks for letting me, uh, sit with you guys. I mean, my friends don't get out for a while."

I tugged on my hoodie, wondering why they were even letting me in the first place. They were so...perfect. And here I was afraid to be out in the sunlight for more than half an hour. Alice's laughter brought a smile to my face and I brushed my hair behind my ear, glancing at the doors leading into the hallway of the main building. That's where they would all come in from, right? Alice glanced at me, then at the door, then seemed to stare off at something.

"We should leave. We'll see you later, Sarah. It was interesting meeting you."

The peppy little vampire scooped up what was apparently her copy and slipped it snugly into her bag. I followed suit with mine. Suddenly Edward looked at Alice, nodded, and he and the rest of their family gathered up their supplies and left. The door closed after them and I sat there, silently, with only the chill on my hands and cheek to remind me that they had been there. My head was light. What had just happened?

My friends filed into the room one after another, all of them taking their places at the table. Alex, Jessy, Michelle, Jade, Kenny and a few others that randomly came. Naveed and Lauren took their seats on the opposite end of the table and fired up their laptop. All of them were talking and laughing like nothing had happened. I stared at the table top, willing my mind to stop spinning. I was going insane! The Cullens hadn't been there. Alice didn't touch my face. Rosalie didn't glare at me. Emmett didn't smile. I didn't realize that the conversation at the table had ended until I felt someone tap my shoulder.

"Earth to, Sarah! Hello?"

Alex's smiling face suddenly came into focus and I flushed pink, glancing away from him. Now he probably thought I had been up late reading again...and he wouldn't have been too far from the truth. He and the others laughed and went on with their previous talk. Apparently they had decided something about vampires and were in the midst of determining whether or not they really did have fangs. I stood abruptly, stumbling when the strap of my backpack hooked onto the arm of the chair. Too slow to catch me, my mortal friends simply watched as I fell. I yelped when my keys dug into my back.

"Man, what is with you today? You're really out of it."

I nodded and pushed myself to my feet. I glanced around at them and then did a rather convincing cough. Covering my mouth with my hands I turned away, attempting to push a lung out of place.

"Yeah, I don't feel so good. I think I might be coming down with something. Tell Leah I got a ride."

Jade watched me with a worried expression. Her chocolate brown eyes fixed on my lying face. She suddenly stood and grabbed her bag, following me out of the cafe. We walked back to the parking lot in silence. Water dripped from heavy green leaves, landing unceremoniously on our heads and shoes. She edged around puddles, smirking while I plowed through them. I was younger than everyone by at least three years, even though some of my pals looked up to me -and at me- instead of the other way around. Jade was no exception.

"So what's up? You never jump at the chance to leave. You came when you had the flu! I mean, you got all of us sick. I still don't forgive you for that." She ran her fingers through her blueberry colored pixie cut.

I smiled and kicked a pine cone out of my way. "Yeah, I'm just...I feel like heading home. I don't feel so good right now." It was slightly true, after all. My stomach was in knots and my head was starting to ache. I pinched the bridge of my nose between two fingers and sighed.

"You just look a bit freaked out. Did something happen with one of your teachers?" She crossed her arms over her chest and glanced sideways at me.

"No! No. it's nothing like that. I'll call you later, okay?" Suddenly my eyes caught sight of a yellow Porsche leaving the parking lot. It slowed as it passed by us, and even though the windows were tinted black I could tell that whoever was on the inside was smiling at me. A silver Volvo followed quickly after. Jade whistled in appreciation and I found the ground was no longer where it should be. In fact, everything seemed to be spinning.

"I would give anything for that Porsche! Although, yellow isn't my favorite color. What do you think? Sarah? Hey, woah!"

I felt a stick embed itself into my arm and my head scraped on the hard, concrete sidewalk. Jade was screaming something and I closed my eyes as something sticky and warm dripped over my forehead and nose. I instantly knew it was blood, and the thought made my stomach churn. Seconds before I drifted off I wondered if Carlisle would be the one to stitch me up.


	4. Chapter three: Partially Cloudy

**Chapter Three**

**Partially Cloudy**

"Stress."

I looked up from my bandaged arm and stared at the heavyset man in front of me. Was he crazy? He thought it was stress? Idiot. Instead of lashing out and demanding some sort of drug to make my new hallucinations stop, I nodded like a good little girl and fingered the stitches on my forhead.

"So I can go home now? I don't need to stay?"

I had been in the hospital for two days while they ran test after test and bandaged me up. Something had happened with my blood pressure or something which resulted in me passing out. Jade had panicked and called 911 before I could even attempt to wake up and stop her. Of course, as soon as my parents found out they had raced to the hospital and insisted on admitting me in case it had anything to do with my neck. Man, you do a backflip off a bunkbed one time...

Anyway, I couldn't stand this place any longer. My stomach was turning at the smell of all the antiseptic. My head throbbed in time with the wound in my arm, and even now I was considering making an escape attempt if they didn't let me out. I didn't have to worry about saving my spoon from lunch, though. After doing some paperwork and getting me a clean change of clothes, I was free.

It was sunny as we walked through the parking lot, and I snatched my mom's sunglasses from her face. She didn't protest as I slipped them on. Still squinting from the light I hurridly made my way to the van. I slammed the door shut as soon as I was in and laid down on the backseat. The glare from the great morning star beat down on my head, warming my already sweating body.

"Honey, put on your seat belt please. And sit up. The sun isn't going to hurt you."

I mumbled my disagreement and sat up, snapping the buckle into place. My brother and sister started to bicker in the middle seat and I expertly tuned them out. I still couldn't believe that I had passed out like that. Sure, I had a heavy school load, but that was no reason for me to suddenly kiss the sidewalk. My cellphone chirped in my bag, scaring me out of my thoughts. I glanced at the ID on the screen with a frown. Unkown caller? Who the heck would be calling my cellphone?

"Hello?"

I said after a moment, fidgeting with the charm on the antenna.

"Sarah? Hi, this is Philip Dwyer, from the church."

I struggled to place him. Then it dawned on me. The new couple that had joined! I had yet to see his wife, but from what I had heard she was nice. I wondered why he was calling.

"Oh, uh, hi."

"My wife and I heard you were in the hospital, and we were wondering whether or not there was something we could do for your family."

"Oh, no thanks. I'm fine, really. Thanks for the offer, though. That's really thoughtful. Um. I guess I'll see you on Sunday."

"That's fine. Well, Renee got you a present the second she heard. Ever since her daughter left she's been just itching for someone to shop for. I hope you don't mind."

A present? I assured him I didn't.

"Fantastic. Well, we'll see you on Sunday. Bye."

I flipped my phone shut and then felt a chill race down my spine. Had he just said Philip? And Renee? My mouth felt dry and I had the urge to throw up. This couldn't be happening! Apparently I looked worse than I thought, because my mom turned around in her seat to watch me.

"Are you okay, sweetie? Want a Coke?"

I just nodded, too numb to speak. We pulled into a gas station and I sat in the car with Connor and Karley while my parents filled the tank and got me a soda. What the heck was going on? Twilight was a story! I had Eclipse with me! Bella and the others didn't exist, they were characters! When my mom handed me the bottle at long last I was shaking. I yanked the top off and drained it, ignoring her stunned expression.

"Th-thanks. I'm still feeling weird, I guess."

They got back in the car and we headed for home.

"Me first!"

"No, me! I'm getting the mail!"

I ignored my brother and sister as they raced for the mailbox and walked inside. Lucky trotted up to greet me, her tail wagging happily. I ignored her for a second until she barked and jumped up to attempt to lick my cheek. Finaly I grinned and scratched her behind the ears, then went to wash my hands. Dogs smelled weird...

After locking myself in my room I piled all of my fan based items on the bed. The charm bracelet, my hard back and soft cover copies of all four books, my t-shirts and a few dozen drawings, all of them ended up on the bed. I crossed my legs and sat in front of the pile, staring down at it. This stuff was real. It existed. It proved that what I had seen two days ago was a complete and utter lie. I glanced at the clock and sighed when I saw that it was only one in the afternoon. Well, I was tired...and I hated being awake when the sun was.

A few hours later I woke in pitch darkness. The moon wasn't even out tonight, so I dressed in my long white skirt and my soft blue top. I slipped on a pair of sparkly flipflops and pulled my hair back into a ponytail. I didn't feel like blending into the shadows. After checking to make sure the house was asleep I punched in the alarm code and grabbed my keys. I slipped out the front door, softly locking it behind me. I liked walking the neighborhood while the world was safely tucked away. It gave me a weird sense of power. No one watched me. I didn't have to worry about the sun burning me or making me squint. I skipped along the road in the darkness, humming to myself. My friends joked that I was nocturnal; too bad they didn't know how right they were.

I walked for a few blocks before turning onto a new street. It was a habit of mine to go on a new path any night I went for a walk. If I was gone when they all woke up I would just say I had gone out early. They were never suspicious. At the end of the street I frowned, realizing I was at a dead end. I didn't see any street signs, and only a solitary lamp lit the road. I was still in Port St. Lucie, wasn't I? To my left was a patch of woods that hadn't been torn down yet, and ahead of me was a giant hedge with a large, iron gate. I put my hands on the gate and attempted to peer through them. Who lived here?

I jumped when a stick to my left snapped. My eyes had adjusted to the dark, and I helplessly watched the tree line. Bobcats and wild boars still roamed here. With all of the houses being built, the animals had been forced into the neighborhoods. I hoped it was possibly the latter, and not a wild dog or something. I had encounted one of those only one time...I never wanted to again. When the foliage rustled and moved, I held back a scream and pulled my self up the large gate. I perched on the top, praying that God would spare me from the animals I were certain were there. Suddenly I heard another snap, this one sounding like more of a light foot step. The sound of a musical, ominous chuckle followed shortly after. I leapt down, ditching my flip flops, and took off running.

I wasn't sure how long I ran. All I knew was that my lungs felt like they were on fire, my feet were raw and blistered and I was panicking. What had been there? What could I have possibly been so afraid of that I had lost my shoes?! I walked up my driveway to the garage and unlocked the door. I pushed it up, securing it in place, and pulled out the ladder from behind my dad's work bench. It was a struggle to get it out of place, and even more of a struggle to get it set up properly against the side of the house. I climbed up to the roof and perched on the top, watching the pink and gold rays of dawn peek up over the nearby houses. A light film of clouds blanketed the sky, turning it into a dazzling painting of primary colors. I smiled at the sky and sighed. I had really liked those shoes...


	5. InfoUpdate

_**Update: **Wow! I can't believe so many people have looked at this already... It's pretty flattering. Updates should be coming more regularly once I finish my classes. Until then, I'm trying to get at least one "chapter" a week. They won't progress the story much until later on, but don't worry it's still going to be really insteresting. If you have any questions about where the story is going or something just message me. I won't bite. Unless I haven't eaten that day...Anyway, the story will continue for quite a long time. So keep watching it, okay? Really, it's gonna be awesome. See, I babysit and I take a lot of classes online and at the college near my house. Then I have chores and stuff. You'll get new chapters when I have time to write them. 3_


	6. Chapter four: Coinsidence?

**Chapter Four**

**Coincidence**

My eyes fluttered open with little resistance. I was done sleeping. My lava lamp bubbled happily, sending spheres of wax up and down in its unending pattern. I watched it for a moment, almost refusing to move. After a while the colors began to make me sleepy again and I quickly pushed myself to a sitting position. The clock proclaimed that it was 6:45 and time for me to get up and get ready for church. Working with the children's ministry was rewarding, but getting up at this ungodly hour was almost blasphemous. Hadn't God rested on Sunday? I jumped in the shower, practically tearing my scalp apart as I hurried to lather, rinse and repeat in five minutes. I jumped out, dried off, and got dressed. My black lace skirt looked good with my purple, "I'm Betting on Alice" shirt, so I threw those on. Then I remembered that the perfect pair of flip flops, the ones I wore religiously, were lost somewhere in a neighborhood.

I scowled at my remaining shoe choices. A few pair of sneakers, an old pair of flipflops and my flats. I slipped on the flats and grabbed my bag. My dad was loading his guitar and amps into the back of the truck. I climbed up into the passenger seat and leaned my head back. It had been three days since I had lost my shoes, and even now my parents still thought they were lost in the clutter of my room.

"You got everything?"

His voice startled me and I jumped. My dad slid into the driver's seat and started the truck, turning on the radio only seconds after.

"Yeah, I'm ready to go."

I watched the streets as we drove past them. marveling at how simple everything appeared. How stable and secure. What did these people go through in their lives? Did they imagine fairytale people gave them sunscreen and teased them about their skin color? Did they haunt the night because they were worried about getting a sunburn? I highly doubted it. With a sigh I laid my head on the window. Stupid normal people...Why couldn't something go wrong in their lives so I wouldn't feel as weird?

We pulled into the church parking lot and I jumped out of the truck, landing lightly on my heels. I grabbed my bag and headed inside, saying goodmorning to the other early birds setting up. I unlocked the small classroom I would command for an hour and a half and let myself in. The television was unplugged again, and apparently some kid had decided to draw on the whiteboard with a crayon so I went to work fixing that before the ones I was watching got here.

Ten minutes later I was still furiously scratching at a purple sun when they arrived. Lily and Sam instantly gravitated towards the cars, while Kinley and Myleigh went to attack the baby dolls. I was just about to close and lock the door when a strange voice called out to me.

"Oh! Are you the one that watches the kids in the morning?"

I looked to find a pretty, brown haired woman smiling at me. A little girl clung nervously to her hand.

"Oh, uh, yeah. Hi, I'm Sarah."

I held out my hand for her to shake, and instead got the little girl's. I looked down at her, attempting to be friendly. Shy kids freaked me out.

"My name is Renee. I think I spoke with you on the phone."

I gaped at her. This was Renee?! I quickly shut my mouth and forced it into a smile.

"Oh, yes. It's so nice to meet you. Is this your daughter?" I smiled down at the shy little girl. She was looking worridly at her mother. Her warm chocolate eyes stared at me for a moment and then shifted back and forth between her mother and myself. Those were Bella's eyes. Or, they would be if they were topaz instead of brown. Renee smiled and nodded, kneeling down in front of the little girl.

"Yes, this is Kaitlin. I hope you don't mind watching her as well. We didn't know if there was child care or not. We help set up the church now."

She seemed proud of what she did, so I didn't comment on it. A few moments later she was gone, dissapearing around the corner. The little girl sighed and released my hand, going glumly into the classroom. I shut the door and secured the lock. Kaitlin dropped down in front of the television and stared at it. She was trying to appease me, I could tell by the way her eyes flickered everywhere but the screen. I took a seat next to her, then finally spoke.

"So do you have any brothers or sisters?" I asked, propping my chin on my hand.

Kailtlin glanced at me and then slowly nodded. I felt my heart jump to my throat. She opened her mouth, thought about it, and then shut it just as quickly.

"How old are they?"

Kaitlin shrugged and picked at the carpet. "Older than me. I've never seen her." So she just had one sister.

I stared at her, my heart rate accelerating. "W-what's her name?" I think I managed to sound friendly. It might have just been panicked, though.

"Isabella. She got married 'fore I was born. Mommy misses her. I talked on the phone to her." She suddenly brightened and faced me. "Mommy doesn't know, 'cause she and daddy were outside in the pool. She sent me this." She held out her thin wrist, showing off the charm bracelet with a few different charms.

"That's very pretty, Kaitlin. May I see it?" She slid the bracelet into my hand and watched as I turned it this way and that. There was a crystal heart, a silver ballerina, a bear, a lion, a yin-yang symbol and a miniature liipstick tube. I fought back the urge to giggle.

"When did you get it?" I asked, handing it back to her.

She slipped it back on and shrugged. "Before we moved. We used to live in Jaxyville. She doesn't call no mores..."

I had already suspected this, but when she said it it sent a shiver down my spine. For the remaining time the kids chased each other around or paused to watch television. As soon as their parents came in I bolted. Kaitlin waved at me as I left and I halted long enough to give her a kiss on the top of her head. I wandered through the growing crowd murmuring good morning to people that deserved it. My friends were grouped outside already, so I made my way in their direction.

"Morning, Sarah!" Sierra smiled up at me and held out my paperback copy of _New Moon_. Somehow my fingers managed to take it from her and slip it into my bag.

"Did you like it? I think it's almost as good as the first one." I smiled and hugged her before turning to see the others. She nodded and jumped up onto my back, linking her arms around my neck. She was one of the youngest in the middle school group, and for some reason I ended up favoring her.

"You bet I did! I can't believe Jacob was a werewolf!"

Both of us shot a glance at our own Jacob. He was tall and strong, and just about as annoying and persistant as the Eclipse Jacob could be. Still, he was a good friend. He let me bite him, after all.

Suddenly Sierra looked down at my feet with a frown. "Where are those flip flops you were telling me about? I thought you were going to wear them."

I shook my head. "Nah, I couldn't find them. I decided to just go with these instead."

She shrugged and slid down as Jacob came up to us. I beamed at him. "Morning, Jacob. Any new books for me?" I held out my hands eagerly.

"Nope. I do have something for Brianna though." He smirked down at me and I pouted before crossing my arms.

"That isn't fair! Why do you give them to her first?" I glared up at him and he simply set his arm on my head as if it was the perfect place to rest it. Sierra giggled and I jerked my head to the side, causing his arm to fall. I turned and expertly bit his elbow. He grunted and jerked away. Laughing, he and I walked into the auditorium. The service was starting and I didn't want to get ragged on for skipping worship again. Maybe I could spot Renee or her husband later...

As usual, the highschoolers of the church gathered at Taco Bell after service. As we piled out of Kim's car and made our way inside, I glanced around the parking lot. Nothing seemed out of the ordinary, thankfully. There were no gorgeous cars or people; so I was pretty sure my mind was alright. Maybe the stuff that had happened was really just a fluke after all. We were laughing and joking as usual when we ordered. Then we took our seats in the corner around the large, high table. My seat, as usual, was directly in the corner out of the windows. A little bit of sun fell on my legs, but thankfully they were covered.

"So did you guys hear about those animals in the reservation? They're finding tons of animals that have been killed and stuff." Brianna leaned against her hand, her elbow on the table. "No one knows what's going on. They think some other big animal might have gotten loose or something. Even animals in the neighborhoods have been found dead. You guys should watch your pets." She nodded, quite certain of herself and took a bite of her burrito.

"Uh...what are you talking about?" I asked, my nachos now all but forgotten. Animals were being killed? All over? I stared at her, my eyes begging her to continue. I normally had a morbid curiosity. Begging to know more about slain animals was nothing new.

"Okay, well, they've found a bunch of game type animals just totally ripped apart. Like, completely. It took them a while to identify what the things were! So far they've found deer, pigs and a couple of bobcats. There have also been a few big dogs killed in the same way." She grinned wickedly.

"Ew! Oh my god, Brianna! Not while I'm eating!" Kim suddenly exclaimed, waving her hands. I ignored her and leaned closer.

"How long has this been going on? Do you know?" This was taking a step past my normal curiosity; I could tell. I think everyone else could too, because they all glanced at each other and then at me. Normally I would be smiling when I asked a question like this. Now it was as if it were made from marble.

She glanced around at the others and then turned back to me. "About a week. Maybe a week and a half." My mind didn't register the time frame at first, but when it did it felt as if all the air had been sucked from the building. A week and a half? A week and a half?! I leaned away from the table, resting the back of my head on the wall. That was about when I had seen _them_.

The conversation droned on, and after a while I ignored it. I wanted to go home. I wanted to go home and sulk. And possibly admit myself to an Asylum. How the hell was this happening?! I wasn't some character in a book! I was a human girl trying to live my life!! Finally Kim finished, and the two of us left. The ride to my house was quieter than normal, with only the radio to disrupt a near perfect serenity. She pulled up to my house and I bolted, quickly thanking her as I closed the car door.

As soon as I was in my room I glanced at my laptop and then decided to fire it up. While I waited for everything to load, I set to work cleaning. Things seemed really disorganized lately, and anything I could do would definately be better than doing nothing at all. Even if it just meant bringing order to my room. As soon as I logged onto my IM service one popped up. Wondering who it was, I clicked on it.

_**PerfectPrettyPrincess says: Hey there.**_

I raised an eyebrow and frowned. I didn't know the email address the name was linked to, but I replied anyway.

_**Sarah says: Um, hey. Who is this?**_

_**PerfectPrettyPrincess says: Haha! You're so silly. You know me! We met at the school, remember?**_

I only remembered meeting a few people lately, and they were all fake people. I glared at the illuminated screen.

_**Sarah says: Come on, cut it out. Who is this?? How did you get my IM address?**_

_**PerfectPrettyPrincess says: My brother gave it to me.** _

_**Sarah says: WHAT ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT?!**_

_**PerfectPrettyPrincess says: Calm down, party pooper. It's Alice Cullen.**_

My blood ran cold and I suddenly couldn't feel my legs.

_**PerfectPrettyPrincess says: Do you want your shoes back?**_

_**Sarah says: ... **_

_**PerfectPrettyPrincess says: Do you? They're really cute, but you have bigger feet than I do and Bella doesn't like them.**_

_**Sarah says: yes**_

_**PerfectPrettyPrincess says: Fantastic! We'll be by tonight to give them to you. Why is Florida so sunny?**_

_**PerfectPrettyPrincess has signed out.**_


	7. Chapter 5: What a weird dream

Dinner was pretty uneventful. I cooked in silence while listening to the everyday chaos around me. I ate in silence while listening to my family babble around me. I washed the dishes in silence while listening to the silence that had now gripped my family. Apparently that would be the running white noise for the rest of the night. They must have realized something was making me feel weird, possibly even sick. For the rest of the night, or at least while they were awake, things were quiet and subdued. The volume of my stereo didn't even have to rise above three notches; normally I cranked it to five. I was reclining on my bed with my journal and a pencil when my mom cracked open the door.

"Are you feeling better?"

I watched her for a moment before mustering up a smile and shrugging. I wasn't going to lie. I hadn't felt bad before, but I wasn't feeling good.

"I guess. Are you guys going to bed?"

When she said they all were I hurried to give her a hug. This might be the last time my sanity would remind me to.

"Night then. I think I'm going to sleep with my window open. Is that alright? The fresh air might help."

She hesitated, glancing towards the heap of Twilight based items I had yet to put away. Could she tell that something was bothering me? Something involving my previous obsession? Normally she caught on to things far too quickly; I hoped she was oblivious. Eventually she agreed, kissed me goodnight, and the house fell to silence. I sat on my bed with the light on and the curtains pulled shut. I drew my legs to my chest and shivered in the cool AC. I had told my mom I would sleep with the window open only so that she wouldn't mess with the alarm. I had no intention of unlocking it.

When would they come? Before midnight? Would I have to go outside to greet them? My mind began to race and I found my eyes were fastened onto the digital readout of my clock. If I had wanted to pull away I wouldn't have been able to. I watched the numbers blink as they changed. Ten changed to eleven. Eleven changed to twelve. I was just beginning to drift off when I heard a soft tap on my window. My eyes shot open and I glanced at the clock - it was too blurry for me to make out the numbers, but it was still black outside.

Stumbling to the window, I fiddled with the latches before finally pushing it up. I had never listened to people when they said not to open things in my dreams. Why start now? Alice's pixie-like face beamed up at me. She held out one pale, slender hand and without a second thought I took it and stepped out of the window after her. Her hand was shockingly cold, enough that a shiver ran up my arm. I was unaware of the grass under my bare feet. I was unaware of the moon shining over head or the clouds swiftly moving to conceal it. I was thoroughly entranced by her dancing, skipping movements. She walked as though she knew every step of my yard better than I did myself. She led me into my front yard, and I gaped at the gathering of beings standing there. They were here. Except, this time they were at my house.

"Hey, um, how are you?"

Bella cracked a smile at that, although she looked like she might have been in pain. Edward had a comforting arm around her shoulder. I tried not to look too jealous.

"We brought your sandals."

Edward was the one to speak, and at once I felt my cheeks warm. Bella seemed irritated and restless - he seemed amused. His voice was cool and controlled, even though simply being near them set me on edge. I wanted to bolt, or at least drop Alice's hand. She seemed to have other ideas, though.

"Sarah, Bella has some questions for you. Do you mind if we come in?"

Alice's angelic expression made me shake my head and wave towards my window.

"N-no, go right ahead." I led the way back in through my window, and the seven of us made ourselves comfortable. I sat on the floor in front of my closet, while Emmett and Rosalie took the bed. Jasper stood near the window with his hand firmly twined with Alice's, while Edward and Bella blocked the door. Were they trapping me in? A heavy, awkward silence filled my bedroom and I wondered if I should break it. Thankfully Emmett took the task from me with his deep, rumbling laugh.

"Do you guys see all of the stuff she has? She probably knows more about us than we do."

I flushed scarlet, and put my still cool hand against my cheek in an attempt to get rid of my blush. Rosalie gave him a look, but smiled despite herself.

"Ah, so what was it you wanted to ask me?" I wanted them out of my room as quickly as possible. They smelled incredible - like they were all wearing a perfume I had never considered - but I knew that as soon as they left I would be either washing everything or spraying my room with air freshener once they had left.

Bella took the time to look around my room before speaking.

"I'm looking for my mom, Renee, and her husband. I haven't seen her since Edward and I married, and I would like to see my little sister." I was stunned by her words, partially because of how she spoke them. It was hypnotizing really, I wanted to simply listen to her and obey. Could this be her power? Was Bella simply abnormally charismatic? It was definitely a possibility.

"I know your sister. I watched her at church. She's really sweet."

Edward looked over at me and raised his eyebrows. I nodded, and thought about how the little girl looked and acted. When he smiled and touched Bella's arm I realized what he was doing. He was giving her the mental image I had showed him! Since when was that possible? Bella looked sad for a moment, almost as if she might cry. I was fairly certain that vampires couldn't though. Would their tears taste sweet if they did?

"Bella, I can find out where she lives. Or you can come to church with us on Sunday. Then you can see them for yourself. We'll have to check the forecast, of course."

The Cullens all glanced at each other and then nodded. Alice took my shoes from Jasper and laid them on the dresser. I stared at them, trying to remember exactly what she had had them for. Why -had- she had my flip flops? Then I realized that the house I had wandered near, the noises I had heard, must have been from them. My eyes widened as their smiles did.

"Edward has your number, I think. Don't you?" Alice spoke, glancing at her brother. When he nodded and moved back towards the window I felt like begging them to stay. I wanted to know more. About the Volturi, Jane in particular, and Bella's abilities. What were they? How was he able to let her see his thoughts?

Soundlessly they removed themselves from my presence. They dissapeared like phantoms, sprinting from my yard into the lightening shadows of the early morning. My head was spinning, probably dazzled by the lot of them, and I still couldn't focus on my alarm clock. Finally I just collapsed onto my bed. This was way too weird for me.

Then, with thoughts of immortals and russet-brown beauties, I drifted off into a dreamless sleep.


	8. Chapter 6: Meetup

On Thursday, Renee called me to babysit Kaitlin. The weather was turning to my favor, wet, so I was snuggled up with her inside on the couch. Although it wasn't raining just yet, the clouds were threatening to rip at their seams. Just as I flipped the page and recited from memory, "And when he sees the sheet, he'll remember he wants to be a ghost for Halloween..." I heard the door bell chime.

With a frown I turned the book upside down to save our place, not that I needed to, and made my way to the front door. My bare feet liked the tile more than carpet, and I was careful to step over the rug seperating the family room from the dining room. I peered out of the window, not quite sure who the girl standing there was. She beamed at me, a false smile if I had ever seen one. Something inside me told me to take Kaitlin and hide, while another part of me told me that opening the door would be the wiser course of action. I listened to the currently wiser part and unbolted the door.

"Yes?" I asked, glancing over her appearance quickly. She was pale, no doubt about that. Her eyes were an off shade of violet-blue, and at once I made sure that Kaitlin was behind me completely. My eyes hardened as I looked up into her gaze. Who was this person? And what on earth was she doing here? She was dressed casually, with her thick mahogany hair pulled back into a ponytail. She was dressed in a dark blue sundress and a long, loose beige sweater draped around her figure. Her knee length brown boots seemed out of place, but her fishnets didn't. I was instantly envious of her appearance. I had always wanted to look like that.

"I'm looking for the Dwyer residence. I work with Renee, and I need to drop of a few papers." She seemed eager to come inside, but I bravely blocked her way. Of course, nothing would stop someone like her from simply tossing me aside. Then again...

I smiled appologetically and shook my head. Kaitlin frowned up at the woman, then me, then quickly hurried into the depths of the house. I mentally applauded her childish intuition. "Sorry, but they moved a little while ago. They moved about thirty minutes north. I'm surprised they haven't told anyone." I shrugged and she glared down at me. I quickly shut the door, not caring if I seemed skittish or rude. I did -not- want to let whoever she was in this house. I watched out the window as she walked back down the driveway to a darkly tinted red Mustang idling by the road. Once I was certain she wasn't coming back I went to find Kaitlin.

She was sitting on her bed, her blankets drawn up to her chin. She watched me warily and then looked towards the open window above her. I quickly shut it.

"Are you okay?" I asked quietly, smoothing her curls from her forehead.

She thought about her answer for a moment before nodding. "Can we have cookies?"

Her innocence, or at least the innocence she was forcing herself to have, made my heart ache. I held out my hand and she slipped her's into it before we made our way to the kitchen. For the next few hours we chatted about toys and books, then about the ballet classes she was getting to take. I learned a bit about the new Renee, apparently she was more responsible, and how Charlie had taken Bella dissapearing. Apparently she mailed, but they hadn't been back to Forks. I felt sorry for him.

When Renee and Phil came back sometime later I pulled Phil aside to tell him about the strange visitor. As a babysitter, that was my job. Freaks were reported as soon as possible. They didn't seem worried, but they still paid me in smaller bills. I crammed the money into the front pocket of my jeans with a smile, waving as I went out the door.

I walked slowly, enjoying the practically non-existant sunlight and swinging my bag by my side. It was heavy with books, so it didn't swing as high as I would have liked. Halfway down the street I felt a sudden breeze against the back of my neck, and when I turned my head Jasper and Alice were there. A second later and Edward and Bella were on my other side. It was comforting to have them surround me like this. Their eyes all reflected the same liquid butterscotch I had dreamt about, and I attempted to keep my thoughts as pure as possible for Edward's sake. He gave me a grateful smile.

"What are you all doing here?" I asked after a moment of silence. I noticed at once how harsh my voice sounded compared to their silken tones the other night.

Alice laughed, a sound more musical than windchimes, and slipped her right free hand into my left. Her touch was chilly, but I still welcomed it. My hand would probably smell amazing later on.

"I saw you seeing Renee. Or at least, who you recognized as Renee. So we decided to tag along. Who was your friend that stopped by? We didn't recognize her."

Edward answered Alice's question at the same time he answered my silent one.

"We'll make sure she doesn't hurt them. I know the license plate." His cocky grin made my heart flutter nervously in my chest and I felt Alice squeeze my hand. Unfortunately said hand was swiftly going numb. Actually, all of me was going numb. Maybe it was the fact that supposedly mythical creatures were flanking me. Or that one had come to the house I was babysitting at. Either way, reality was having a hard time catching up with me.

"Sarah, are you upset that we're here?" Bella's voice was enchanting. Not only did it not have the same overly perfect tone as the others, but it sounded so...ordinary. I almost wept. Even though it was plain, it was the most beautiful tone I had ever heard. I wanted to do whatever she wanted simply to keep her talking. She moved closer to me, and the breeze carried her scent in my direction. If Alice smelled heavenly, then Bella had to be at least four light years beyond that.

I thought carefully about my answer, making sure I didn't give Edward one I wasn't certain of myself.

"No, I'm not upset. It's just...weird." I shrugged and shifted my bag on my shoulder. My eyes wandered towards Jasper again. He seemed...at ease. Although the wind was blowing my scent in his direction, he seemed alright with it. I mentally applauded him.

"Do you mind if we come in? We're trying to decide what to do today. It's not often that we get weather we like, and it's going to be like this until Monday." Alice beamed at me, and before I realized what had happened we were all clustered together in my kitchen. Bella stared sadly at the contents of my fridge. She didn't have anyone to cook for anymore...maybe she missed it.

Thankfully my parents had taken my brother and sister to the park. I wouldn't have enjoyed trying to explain my visitors to my mom. It wouldn't have been easy. Lucky stared up at Alice wagging her tail. She sniffed her leg before sneezing and then turning to go to her bed under the table. Maybe her sense of smell was as keen a wolve's. If so, her nose might be burning.

"Would you like to come with us, Sarah? Maybe we could go to a park or visit the mall or something. We don't really need to hide here. There's no one to hide from." I turned my gaze to Jasper and nodded.

"There's a nice park about ten minutes from here. And then there's a bigger state park..." I trailed off, my thoughts going back to last Sunday. I heard Edward chuckle, and Bella's chiming laugh followed shortly after.

"Yes, we're familiar with that one. The other one sounds nice enough. We'll go there, and then you can show us around." Edward spoke quickly to Alice, and I heard her musical laugh as she spun out the door. Edward threw me a grin.

"She's getting the car."


	9. BREAKING DAWN

_**Update: **Okay, I now own and have read Breaking Dawn. I have to say I'm a bit dissapointed in about two hundred+ pages of it. However, considering the things that happened in Breaking Dawn, I will be changing this story around a bit to fit in more smoothly with everything that happened. I'm going to create a new Twilight Fanfic instead of messing around with this one. This will be for those who have not read Breaking Dawn, while my other story will be for those of you who didn't sleep last night. I actually was able to watch the night break into dawn. XD I'm not going to give out spoilers without alerting you, so know this right now. _IF YOU HAVE NOT READ BREAKING DAWN, DO NOT READ MY NEW FF.


	10. New update!

_**Update: **I came to terms that I won't be able to make my story fit with Breaking Dawn, so instead I'm going to continue this as if I have never read it. Everything will be as before. So, sorry to those of you I kept waiting. Expect updates within the week. Thanks!_


	11. Chapter 7: It's not just them

There wasn't a time that I had enjoyed the park as much as I did that day. The slight overcast had turned so forbidding and heavy that no one else was really around. The Cullens and I lounged around the picnic tables. Bella and Edward laid in the grass, murmuring quietly to themselves. Alice and Jasper seemed to be attempting to perfect a waltz of some kind. Rosalie was running her fingers through Emmett's hair and watching me, a sullen expression on her lovely face. "Hey Emmett, just how strong are you?" I asked, trying to peel the skin of an orange off with my thumb nails. Bella plucked the fruit from my hands and a second later it was returned, completely stripped of its skin. I gave her a smile.

"Strong, why?" He turned his golden gaze to me and smirked. "You want a demonstration?"

Edward looked my way, raising his face from the crook of Bella's neck. I met his gaze, resisting the urge to look away, and smiled. He laughed and murmured something to low and quickly in his wife's ear that I couldn't even see his mouth moving. She echoed his laugh and shook her head. Emmett looked frustrated.

"What's so funny?" He demanded, a scowl decorating his otherwise flawless face. Edward shifted in the grass to look up at him.

"Sarah was imagining you with a car above your head, and you were a brilliant shade of green. Apparently you were as much like the Hulk as a person could get." I blushed scarlet even though we were all laughing.

I watched them all for a while longer, finally settling on the grass so that I could stare up at the clouds. My other friends would have begged to go inside long ago – I didn't get to spend this much time at a park and enjoy it. Maybe this was the peace that people were supposed to feel when they were outside. I wondered for a moment if we should go for a hike when –

"That's a wonderful idea, Sarah! It should be rain free for another hour, so we can go all throughout the park. It should be lovely." Alice's beaming face interrupted my view of the bleak sky and I managed to give her a smile. Well, I guess we were going on a hike...and that she had seen it was my idea. Or that was one particular future Alice liked better than the others.

She helped me to my feet and kept a firm grip on my hand as she led our procession to the edge of the trees. There was no trail here, and I knew she knew I knew it, but without another word she darted nimbly inside the thick of things, pulling me along behind her. I may not have been as clumsy as Bella had once been, but I was no vampire. I was bound to get a cut sometime or later.

Strangely enough, it didn't happen. We simply hiked through the trees as if we were Moses and they were the Red Sea. Sometimes Emmett would vanish and jump out with a boo, which of course made me jump and yelp. Alice pointed out birds about to take flight, or the flash of a deer's tail as it caught their scents. I was more interested in watching them, though.

They were phantoms in the gloom. Their pale, perfect skin almost glowed. With graceful, lithe steps they moved around dry sticks and dead leaves. I was the noisiest, tromping alongside Alice as she gently guided me through the trees. Suddenly she stopped, halting in midstride. Everyone clustered around her, and with one look at her face Edward gripped Bella's hand more firmly.

"East." He ordered, darting off into the darkness. Bella danced after him. Thunder rumbled ominously overhead. Alice released my hand and ran off with Jasper to the left. Emmett swung me onto his back and I locked my arms around his neck, suddenly fearful. What was going on? Rosalie kept a cool hand on my back as we sped into the thicket. Abruptly Emmett launched himself into the air. I stiffened and clung more tightly as he fixed himself in a tree. He unlocked my arms and pressed me against the trunk.

The branch I was on was thick and sturdy. Emmett was beside me, crouched and waiting for something, and Rosalie was in a nearby pine. I heard a quiet whistle, it reminded me of a bird, and when I glanced in the direction of the noise I saw Alice grinning at me, her white teeth flashing quickly in the dark of the trees. My eyes lingered on the trail far beneath us. I clung to the trunk of the tree and attempted to fight back the nausea swirling my stomach into uncomfortable knots.

Finally I saw what had brought all of us up into the trees. What appeared to be a solitary vampire strode through the trees. She leaned over a plant as if to sniff the blossoms, and I could see her dazzling ebony eyes widen from where I was perched. Purple bruises cradled her eyes, and her skin was whiter than ivory. Her clothes were dirty, but not old. They had been abused for sure. She had bare feet, although the nails seemed to shimmer. They must have been painted at sometime. How long had she been this new?

She lifted her head as if to smell the air instead, and a dazzling smile lit her features. I trembled where I crouched, almost shaking the branch. Emmett glanced at Jasper, who looked further into the trees. They must have been getting some sort of signal from Edward. Suddenly, Emmett and Jasper were no longer in their perches. Alice was at my side the moment I heard a blood curdling shriek. I couldn't help watching, though. My eyes were wide as I stared at the scene below me.

Jasper had landed on her back and brought her to the ground. The next second he was airborne, and the woman beneath us was screaming obscenities. A deep laceration graced her shoulder. She spun and growled at the two, her eyes widening in recognition. Jasper crouched, his lips pulled back into a snarl. The newborn trembled and snarled once more in his direction, then abruptly whirled away. Emmett caught her in a vice like grip, and Jasper looked once more into the trees before nodding to his brother. The bigger vampire laced his fingers through the curled, brunette locks and gave them a sharp twist. The strangled scream was dissolved in a matter of seconds.

"W-why did you have to kill her?" I asked once we were all safely on the ground. A large bonfire was blazing, and I stood just outside of the ring of light. Dusk was settling in, but the strangely colored smoke kept the mosquitoes at bay. Bella glanced in my direction, and then at Edward. He nodded and rested his chin on her shoulder.

"She was sent out as a scout. There was not a thought to being anything other than a murderer. We aren't quite sure who sent her, and all she could think about rationally was her last meal. Information was not forth coming. Besides, it's hard to civilize them once they're like that." She seemed sad, but not too upset. How many of these had they come across? I finally sat on a dry stump and stared into the dancing, crackling flames. It contrasted nicely to the lavender and pink blushing across the surface of the clouds. Thunder rumbled closer, and lightning flashed on the horizon.

"Can you take me home now?" I asked, looking at the threatening weather. I was too cold. Too scared. Why had a newborn been scouting here of all places? Had she been connected to the woman that came to Renee's? Alice glanced at Jasper and then suddenly I saw a flash of silver. Automatically my hand jerked out to catch the object. When the keys were safely nestled in my palm I gave her a look.

"We'll do better than that," She said, utterly pleased with herself. "We'll let you drive."


End file.
